Wezi Tjaronda
13 March 2008
Windhoek — Namibia is amending its firearms and ammunition legislation to curb the proliferation of firearms, some of which are being used to commit serious crimes.
Statistics from the Ministry of Safety and Security show that over a period of eight years (1998-2006), more than 32600 firearms cases, ranging from murder and attempted murder to pointing firearms were reported.
During the same period, 117204 firearms licences were issued to private owners, businesses, security companies and embassies.
Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Safety and Security, Gabes Shihepo, said Namibia is experiencing an upsurge in passion killings, murders, carjackings and robberies through the use of both licensed and unlicensed firearms.
He said the Government realised that the excessive and uncontrolled spread of small and light weapons posed a serious security threat to mankind and could scare away investors.
But at the moment, the ministry cannot account for unlicensed firearms in circulation.
Shihepo was speaking at a consultative workshop on the review of the Arms and Ammunition Act 1996 (Act of 1996) and the sustainable implementation of the small arms and light weapons national action plan.
The workshop, aims at soliciting expert opinion from participants to finalise the review of the legislation in compliance with international standards, started in the capital yesterday.
Shihepo suggested that the country prohibits both the sale and licensing of all assault weapons and also grant amnesty to people in possession of illegal firearms for them to surrender their guns.
He added that the situation in which many people own guns in the country is unacceptable and requires urgent action.
"Therefore, this requires urgent action and this action should start with the proper fixing of the law that deals with authorisation of firearms in possession of any member of the Namibia society," he said.
The review of the firearms and ammunition legislation is in line with international, regional and sub-regional protocols on small arms and light weapons to which Namibia is a signatory.
The Government in 2005 launched the National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons under which all existing legislation on arms and ammunition would be reviewed including stockpile management, administrative procedures dealing with firearms to draw up national guidelines.
The SADC Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and other Related Materials, which came into force on July 30, 2004, stipulates that national action plans should include key issues such as the creation of a national firearms policy, the review and harmonisation of firearm legislation, enhancing operational capacity, public education and awareness raising, exchange of information and voluntary collection of arms and exchange programmes.
Through the plan, the country has also established a National Management Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons comprising of senior Government officials, while the 13 regions have regional focal points, of which two, namely Oshana and Erongo, are implementing the framework.
The 13 regional focal points will during the workshop report on progress made on the implementation of the National Action Plan on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the National Action Plan Regional Plan for 2008/9.
Representatives of the South African Police Service and the Institute for Security Studies are attending the workshop.
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